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Category: Books
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author: J.M. Dillard

Have you ever wondered what events transpired between the end of the Enterprise’s five-year mission and Star Trek: The Motion Picture? These questions are answered in J.N. Dillard’s Star Trek: The Lost Years. Published in 1989, Star Trek: The Lost Years is the first of four books which focuses on the two-and-a-half year period between the end of the first five-year mission and the events chronicled in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. J.M. Dillard book focuses (roughly) on the first seven months the Enterprise crews’ transition to their new assignments. Dillard touches on several crucial points in the lives of the main characters such as Kirk’s appointment to Rear Admiral, the reason behind McCoy’s eventual resignation from Starfleet, and Spock’s wish to be a postulant of the Kolinahr rather than taking on a wife.

The book also brings to life characters such as Fleet Admiral Heihachiro Nogura (who is mentioned briefly at the start of Star Trek: The Motion Picture), Vice Admiral Lori Ciana (who according to one source was the other figure who perished along with the Vulcan science officer at the transporter malfunction in the aforementioned movie), and lastly, fan favorite Kevin Thomas Riley who from his days in the enterprise, is promoted to be Rear Admiral Kirk’s Chief of Staff in Starfleet Headquarters.

Dillard also gives some insightful information on characters such as Spock (who has roots in Minnesota) and McCoy (who’s first wife is named Jocelyn and that Dr. McCoy spend his early years in Georgia). Lastly, the book left probably the best Bones McCoy thought ever when he described someone as having “lost their shields. Took a spacewalk in the asteroid belt without his helmet. And beamed down one too many times.”

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Category: Books
Genre: Business & Investing
Author: Isiah Thomas

In 2005, I began reading Isiah Thomas‘ book as part of my dissertation research and I found Coach Thomas to be a good storyteller capable of blending his experiences in basketball and business.

Among the highlights of his book, Thomas (2001) shares his Indiana University mantra which echoed qualities that every individual could aspire for: “self-development, preparation, concentration, and execution.” Thomas added that these characteristics were incorporated into the coaching drills and programs that he participated in during his time at Indiana University so as to teach “how to (use a skill) “what to (deciding between two or more skills), and when to (knowing the actual moment to use the developed skill)” (Paye, 1996). Thomas (2001) also leaves his readers with this thought, character is usually found in “unconventional places” as opposed to right in front of us.

Overall, I rate this book as an average read since the author only dabs into his core topics (business, basketball, coaching) without actually sharing concrete information which readers can apply to their everyday lives. It is basically a book of compiled life stories that Thomas attempts to share with his audience.

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Category: Books
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Author: John Starks and Dan Markowitz

Outside of Patrick Ewing, former Continental Basketball Association (CBA) veteran John Starks is probably one of the most recognizable figures in the New York sports scene during the 1990’s. Starks touches on his humble beginnings–moving from four different college academic programs to making it to the National Basketball Association (NBA) via the New York Knicks on a technicality (John attempted to dunk of Knicks center Patrick Ewing during a pre-season game in 1988 and got hurt in the process.  During those days, injured players couldn’t be cut and this secured John a regular season roster spot and time to prove himself).

In his self-titled biography, Starks also gives his own account of what his career highs (e.g., being the first CBA guard to win a spot on an NBA All-Star team) and lows (e.g., his much publicized horrendous shooting display during Game 7 of the 1994 NBA finals) have meant to him after his playing days were over.

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Category: Books
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Author: Jack McCallum

Over the last 17 years that I’ve been watching, reading, writing, and playing everything and anything that is related to the NBA, I’ve never come across a book which has truly captured the very essence of the league and the game of professional basketball until I read Jack McCallum’s “:07 Seconds or Less [My Season on the Bench with the Runnin’ and Gunnin’ Phoenix Suns]. ”

Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated chief NBA writer, had the unique privilege “come aboard” and take part as a member of the Phoenix Suns staff during the 2005-2006 NBA season. McCallum made the most of the opportunity and in the process penning an undaunted and realistic look at what goes on behind the closed doors of Phoenix Suns Basketball—from the coaches, players, trainers, broadcasting, management, and even the eccentric owner’s perspective to the colorful metaphors (profanity laced statements) that they use as a means of self-expression from time-to-time.

McCallum captures classic moments (Gentry’s Anthony Mason and B.J. Armstrong story (pp. 129); The sounds of a “jungle bird” in the Suns shower story (pp.180); The Eddie House story (pp. 74; 94); and McCallum’s definition of coaching (pp.144); among others) and also meticulously explains several of the Suns basketball terminologies such as “dribble-ats” – “terms used to described when “the ball handler dribbles toward his teammate and either uses him as a screener or, more typically, hands off to him to keep the offense moving;” “Gold” – “term for fronting an offensive player, thus discouraging a pass from even being thrown;” and my favorite, “clickety” – Steve Nash’s word for the “clock that clicks off the time until tip-off .”

Overall, it’s one book that you can’t put down. An amazing ride from start to finish and if you’re not yet a Phoenix Suns fan, you will be after this book.

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Category: Books
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Author: Michael Leahy

Published in 2004, author Michael Leahy shares his experiences during Michael Jordan’s last comeback to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Leahy’s portrayal of Jordan showed a different side of the basketball legend which is not normally seen in the eyes of the public. Jordan, the “the most marketed player in the history of the NBA,” was finally…”mortal” and did go through the same trials and tribulations (from a heightened perspective) that we all go through at some point in our lives. Leahy accounts the days wherein Jordan was at his best and would score 35 points over the span of several games to the days wherein he wasn’t unstoppable and hit his career lows of 8 and 2 points respectively.

What stood out for me was Jordan’s lambasting of players who didn’t play up to his standards. Leahy quotes Jordan on numerous occasions wherein he would lambast teammates. Coach Fred “Tex” Winter, an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers and former assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls summed it up best, “you either work hard or Michael has no use for you.”

But the one paragraph in Leahy’s entire book which rocked my very foundation of emulating Michael Jordan was the following:

“His people had held him up as a man to be emulated, making Jordan more than a half-billion in endorsement dollars in the process…he had raised the bar on his behavior during 17 years of unremitting self-promotion, in campaigns approved by the Jordan camp and coordinated by Nike and other corporate sponsors that elevated him from great athlete to hero and, finally, to moral symbol.

…when you present yourself as virtuous in years of ad campaigns and TV commercials, you will be fairly held in time to that standard. Fairly held because you have sold your basketball shoes to people plunking down in excess of $100 not merely for a chance at better Ups but for a way to rub up against your aura, to feel a tiny sense of you in that admittedly silly way people feel when they wish to emulate anybody, to be inspired by your class and elegance, your morality and grace, as they’ve heard it told. And if some of that was artifice, then so, too, was everything you sold with your likeness on it.”

Disturbing but quite true, personally, I have seen myself on many occasions wanting to “be like Mike.” I’ve bought the shoes, worn the clothes, gotten the cards, read the books…and it is only now I realized. What about me? Leahy’s book showed me that. In the years that I have been collecting “Jordan” in order to be inspired, all I needed to do in the end was look in the mirror in order to be inspired.

This is a great book that puts any not only Michael Jordan’s life in perspective but also that of your own, especially if you are a Jordan fan who has collected his paraphernalia over the years.

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